Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rio Rancho, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio Rancho, NM: $2,630 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Rio Rancho, NM
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Rio Rancho, NM Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Rio Rancho, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,630

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rio Rancho, NM

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Rio Rancho, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Rio Rancho, NM $2,630

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,841 in Rio Rancho, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Rio Rancho, NM $3,841

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,053 in Rio Rancho, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Rio Rancho, NM $5,053

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Rio Rancho, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Rio Rancho, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Rio Rancho, NM by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.15 $17.15

20.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$78.2 $78.2

15.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.09 $12.09

7.03%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.64 $5.64

-0.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.94 $2.94

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.32 $2.32

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.98 $5.98

16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.92 $6.92

27.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.07 $1.07

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.18 $3.18

19.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.41 $4.41

20.18%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.26 $4.26

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.01 $12.01

16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$19.57 $19.57

-25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.39 $18.39

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.44 $5.44

-4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.99 $3.99

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.13 $4.13

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.13 $1.13

144.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.39 $3.39

-18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.97 $1.97

12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.55 $2.55

16.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.83 $10.83

29.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.08 $16.08

-4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 $2.05

25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.67 $3.67

-4.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$50.3 $50.3

48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.06 $3.06

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.78 $0.78

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$32.31 $32.31

-24.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

18.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 $193

$164 $164

17.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$45.41 $45.41

50.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$71.4 $71.4

-14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.19 $42.19

28.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.49 $17.49

1.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$1,343 $1,343

23.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$11.1K $11.1K

178.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$55.2 $55.2

19.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$57.5 $57.5

-10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$79.8 $79.8

25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$117 $117

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,608 $1,608

52.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,323 $1,323

26.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,528 $2,528

86.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,118 $2,118

31.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,082 $3,082

33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,664 $2,664

-0.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,915 $5,915

-17.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rio Rancho, NM: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Rio Rancho, NM

$1.3K 50.3% 21.2% $355

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$438 16.7% 2.5% $11

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Rio Rancho, NM

$306 11.6% 10.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$281 10.7% 12.7% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Rio Rancho, NM

$139 5.3% 13.7% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$65 2.5% 31.3% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Rio Rancho, NM

$77 2.9% 13.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,608 in Rio Rancho, NM. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Rio Rancho, NM, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $78.0 in Rio Rancho, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $438 – making Rio Rancho, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rio Rancho, NM

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

22:35 10:35 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

110,660

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Rio Rancho, NM 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rio Rancho, NM

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Rio Rancho, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,945 in Rio Rancho, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio Rancho, NM, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $78.0 in Rio Rancho, NM. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rio Rancho, NM. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.